Dublin Square and Los Tres Amigos in East Lansing allegedly served alcohol to minors during a police sting operation last month. Now both venues stand a chance to lose their liquor licenses.MLive file photo

EAST LANSING, MI -- Police here say they busted a pair of East Lansing establishments serving alcohol to those underage last month.

Both businesses were cited for the violation, Mitchell said. He did not know how much the citation tickets each establishment.

"The next step is whether to forward this to the Liquor Control Commission," he said. "That's up to (East Lansing Police Chief Juli Liebler). The stings were done, reports were done, and now we're waiting to see."

Mitchell said he expects Liebler to act "relatively soon."

If East Lansing police refer Dublin Square and Los Tres Amigos to the Michigan Liquor Control Commission, both establishments potentially could lose their liquor licenses.

"If it comes to our office, then it will go to the Assistant Attorney General's Office. That's when they decide what type of violation (the establishments) should receive based on our codes and rules," said Andrea Miller, public information officer for the Liquor Control Commission.

A hearing before the Liquor Control Commission would follow, Miller said, at which point penalties would be handed down.

"They'd face fines, depending on what it is, from $300 to $1,000," she said. "There's always a chance of (a liquor license) suspension, depending on how many (violations) they've had in the past 24 months."

Dublin Square has had two violations in that time frame, records show. On Jan. 30, 2011, the establishment sold alcohol to an intoxicated person, allowed an intoxicated person to consume and allowed an intoxicated person to loiter.

On Dec. 8, 2012, Dublin Square was busted selling to a minor by East Lansing police during another sting, records show.

Los Tres Amigos has had one violation in the past two years, records show: Selling to a minor during another East Lansing police sting operation on April 9, 2011.

Mitchell said East Lansing police randomly sting each and every establishment in the city two times per year.

If Liebler does not refer Dublin Square and Los Tres Amigos to the Liquor Control Commission for their violations, East Lansing police will issue both businesses a warning and log the incidents, according to Mitchell.